Many
competitive players enter the court for their match with little or no thought
to conditions of the weather, courts, and type of ball. IF CONDITIONS ARE NOT IDEAL, LOSERS
COMPLAIN AND WINNERS ADJUST!
Knowing the
difference in surfaces can prevent unnecessary frustration.
On outdoor courts there can be big differences in the bounce
of the ball. A rougher surface is
described as “slow”, and will cause the ball to slow after the bounce and at
times it will set up for the hit. This
requires awareness that you will need to move closer to the bounce in order to
hit the shot with optimum balance and control.
A smoother surface, described as “fast”, can cause the ball to actually
skid off the bounce and stay lower. This
requires that you will need to allow a greater distance between the bounce and
your contact with the hit. Balls most
often used on outdoor courts will be a relatively hard surface with small holes
to reduce the affects of wind. Cold
weather will increase the pace of the ball, and warm weather will slow the
ball.
Indoor courts are usually a wooden gymnasium surface, and
will often be much faster than outdoor courts.
For this reason, there are balls designed specifically with softer
surfaces and larger holes to reduce the speed off the bounce.
Windy conditions require more rapid footwork, and choosing
larger targets for your shots. Be aware
of the wind direction when selecting which end of the court you want to start
the match. If it is a side wind, I will
prefer to start on the end which blows toward my forehand (simply because I
have more reach with my forehand). This
choice puts my opponents on the end where the wind will be blowing the ball
toward and away from their backhand, where they have less reach. Also keep in mind whether you and your
opponents are right-handed or left-handed.
If it is blowing in the direction of the court, most players will choose
to play with the wind rather than against it; but I find that the soft game is
easier when playing against the wind.
This should depend on personal preference of you and your partner.
Now
that you have properly prepared for the conditions of your match, it’s time to
“size up your opponents.”This will be
the focus of next month’s TIP
Use this code for a 10% discount on a custom paddle
First Time Buyers Only
Why we are different
There are well over 100 paddle manufacturers serving the pickleball industry. We are the ONLY custom paddle manufacturer in the world. In order to understand what it is we do and why it’s unique, it’s necessary to understand how a paddle is made.
Every paddle with few exceptions has a honeycomb core. The different companies in the industry use one of three different materials for the core- aluminum, polymer and Aramid. We use all three. The core provides 75% of the way a paddle performs.
Then the honeycomb core is sandwiched between two thin layers of surface materials. Again, the different companies in the industry use three different materials- graphite, fiberglass composite and carbon fiber. We use all three. The surface material is about 25% of the way a paddle performs. Think of it as fine tuning the paddle’s performance characteristics.
The three different core materials combined with the three different surface materials make 9 different combinations of materials. Each plays differently. We make two (soon to be three) different shapes for our paddles. The Chaos has a large square sweet spot- at 8 1/2”, it is the widest paddle on the market. The Kratos has an equally large rectangular shaped sweet spot. Each combination of cores and surfaces is available in both the Chaos and Kratos shape.
Then we give each player the opportunity to select their paddle’s weight (ranging from 7.4-10.5 ounces).
Now comes the grip. Players can choose one of three different handle shapes, their grip size from 3 7/8” to 6”, one of three different grip materials and more than 10 colors for each grip style.
Now that the player has chosen the best paddle shape, core, surface and grip for their individual game comes the fun part. We can put any custom graphic the player chooses on their paddle face- either one of our many choices or one of their own- a picture, logo or graphic of their choosing.
Now every player can play with a totally bespoke paddle and watch their game immediately improve because they are playing with the right paddle for them in every way.
Every other sport has specialized equipment for every player except pickleball. Not anymore- now pickleball is catching up to other sports. Pickleball players spend a lot of time playing the game they love. Now they can play with the gear that suits them and not be forced to use a one size fits all paddle.
Want to Join Team TSD?
We are actively seeking avid pickleballers with sales experience to educate, demonstrate and promote Third
Shot Drop pickleball paddles.
Please send your prior sales experience, where you play, how often you play, what level player you are, if you
play Tournaments, how many players you can reach and your contact information to:
Ashley@ThirdShotDrop.com
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